Dark Pearl
by Billini
Summary: In modern Kirkwall, working in the Dark Pearl is the only life Fenris has ever known... until a strange woman becomes part of it and turns his world upside down... A Dragon Age 2 AU story.
1. Chapter 1

She was spent. Absolutely and completely spent. The money in her handbag was the last she had, even less than one hour before because she had needed to spent a part of it to buy a decent dress. It was her only chance to get into the club everybody in the city was talking about: A place full of decadence and - at least rumour said it - more than one possibility to win a LOT of money.

One last time she was checking her outfit in the mirror of the public bathroom she was using. Dark make-up, a dark dress and dark high heels: Nothing special, but the material was good and the dress short and tight enough to be sexy, but not vulgar. She was wearing her short, brown hair in pixie style. Combined with her huge, brown eyes, she looked young, naiv and eager to make her first experiences in Kirkwalls night life.

Every doorkeeper who would sent a single woman looking like this away, would be an idiot.

Leaving the bathroom, she took the next tube and left the underground station in the Red Lantern Dictrict.

The streets were full of people who were looking for amusement. Neon signs announced which shows the different bars and clubs were hosting tonight, and street hawkers tried to make their daily rate by selling everything from trash over condoms to cigarettes and probably also drugs.

A group of college girls with too short skirts was heading in the same direction than Liz. Quickly she passed them because her chances to get inside the Dark Pearl would drop drastically when she had to compete against 5 chicks who looked willing to get drunk and laid.

When she arrived at the club and saw the long crowd in front of it, she squared her shoulders, passed the line and directly approached the doorkeeper.

As planned the elf wasn't present. During her investigations she had heard about him and knew that he - the head of the doorkeepers - did decline a lot of people the entrance. Part of her had been wondering how he had come into this position. Elves were normally servants or underclass workers, but never had a really responsible task. The fact that HE had meant that he was either really good... or someone was favouring him.

Anyway: It did not matter anymore. He wasn't here, that was all what counted.

The man who was standing next to the entrance was young, blue eyed and bulky. When she stepped closer, his eyes crossed hers and she gave him her sweetest smile. For a long moment he seemed to measure her, than opened her the door without another word.

The crowd was complaining, but immediately went silent when he looked at it.

"Thank you", she said and walked towards the door, already seeing the money she would earn this night in front of her internal eye.

"No!" A dark, rumbling voice let her stop midway. "Not this one."

"Sir?" The voice of the dookkeeper. "I don't understand. She seemes to fit."

Slowly she turned, keeping a straight face. Next to the doorkeeper the elf had appeared, out of nowwhere, and watched her out of deep green eyes.

The rumours were true: He WAS handsome. His skin was tanned, his lips full and his cheekbones high. The tailor-made dark suit he was wearing clearly showed his lean build, and his silver-white hair looked silken, as did the complex tattoos covering his chin and neck.

"Is there a problem?" she asked and made sure that her eyes were wide and pleading.

He simply ignored her and said to the doorkeeper: "Not this one. She means trouble."

The man's eyebrow raised in surprise, but he did not argue... contrary to her.

Thinking before acting had never been her biggest strength. Neither had been thinking before speaking. "What? Why? That's bullshit!" As soon as the words had left her mouth, she bit on her lower lip.

Green eyes met hers. "That is why."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "So speaking my mind disqualifies me to get into the club?"

"If you want to put it this way: Yes." His voice sounded unhurried and cool.

Before another, even more rude answer could leave her mouth, she inhaled deeply and answered: "That's unfair." Out of the corner of her eye she saw the 5 college girls enter the bar and pointed at them. "Why can THEY enter?"

"I don't think that I need to discuss the entrance criterias with you, Miss", was all she received as answer. "And now: Please step aside. There are plenty of other etablissements in this street you can visit." Green eyes met hers again. "I am pretty sure there are also some more... suitable for you..."

Her eyes widened, and again she was acting before thinking. Stepping so close to him that she could feel his body heat and smeel his aftershave - which smelled nice, by the way - she said with low voice: "Would you mind explain me what you mean, SIR?"

He sighed and watched her for a long moment, probably thinking about the best way to get rid of her without causing a sensation.

"Spit it out, elf!" she hissed.

His eyes narrowed. Part of her wanted to back off, but her stubborness let her stay where she was. She had known that using his lineage like an insult would work.

"You don't move like the innocent girl you pretent to be", he eventually said, his voice as dark as hers. "You move too silent and light-footed. The muscles on your arms show me that you are able to climb a large building - these aren't the mucles from workouts. You are thin, but not the kind of thin the young women are today, but the kind of thin you get when you don't have enough to eat. And apart from all that: Your smell isn't right."

"WHAT?"

He shrugged. "You smell of soap and leather. Not of one of the overpriced parfums our clients are wearing. So no: This club doesn't suit you."

"You... you..." He had no idea how angry she was. Arrogant, selfish prick! "... Freak!"

"How very eloquent", he answered dryly, took her arm and pulled her to the side. "Would you please leave now? Or do you prefer that I drag you away?"

Breaking away from his grip, she hissed "No need!" and stormed off.

Only to pass the next corner and prove him that he had been right indeed: There WAS no building she couldn't climb.

She WOULD get into the club. One way or another.

* * *

Slipping out of her high heels, Liz studied the wall in front of her and searched for a best place to start climbing. It wouldn't be easy, but she already saw a route she could take to get to one of the windows on the left. From the way it looked like it probably would be an entrance to a storage room.

Hooking the heels of her shoes under the small belt she was wearing, she started to climb. Fortunately she was in a side street and the building in an old style, meaning the stones were big and offered more than one possibility to find footing.

_Thin, you ass, _she thought, remembering the elfs' words. _Now it's good that I don't have to hold so much weight..._ She flinched when she nearly missed the next option of savely placing her hands and feet and decided that she could wait being annoyed with him until she had reached the window above her. Two minutes later she opened it with one of her hair pins and pulled herself into the room behind.

Panting, she dropped to the ground. Maker, now she knew why she had stopped breaking in other peoples houses months ago. Apart from the fact that the local police had become far more vigilant -and some other reasons she did not want to think about now - her body simply wasn't as strong anymore as it once had been. The elf was right in one thing: She definitely WAS to thin.

Sighing, she got up and took a small mirror out of her bag, checking her make up. A bit of sweat covered her forehead and her hair was damp at the temples, but that wasn't so bad. She looked as if she had already been dancing in the disco which was located in the clubs' cellar rooms.

A quick look at the rooms interior proved that she was indeed in a storage room. As expected it was closed from the outside, but with another pin she was able to open it easily and entered a long corridor. The sound of music, laughter and voices fillled the air, turning louder the closer she came to the stair which was leading downstairs.

She reached the first floor nearby an entrance next to the bar. Once the barkeeper wasn't looking and she was sure that a certain elf wasn't nearby as well, she stepped into the room and looked for her first victim. Participating in a gamble did not seem wise, considering the high possibility that she would be witnessed by the elf. Instead, she needed to line her pockets as quickly as possible with the guests' money.

It did not take her long to find her first victims. A group of men was surrounding the five college chicks, not looking at anything else than the girls deep necklines. Liz took her chance and some wallets, withdrew a few notes and put the rest back into the victims pocket. This way it was less conspicuous, and the men would probably only realize that money was missing when they wanted to pay... or not at all.

Turning to the dance floor, she mingled with the people using it and crossed the room to continue on the other side, checking now and then that the elf wasn't suddenly standing behind her. Fortunately the bar was dimmly lighted and dark colours in red and gold covered the walls, allowing her to not attract any attention.

She froze when a soft, female voice started to sing, and turned to the stage. A pale redhead had appeared, wearing in a deep blue dress, her blue eyes fixed on her audience. It became notably quieter in the room, and Liz didn't blame the guests: The womans' voice was gorgeous, every tone a stroke to the senses.

What an odd thought... Normally she wasn't really the type who got captured by music easily... But here and now, she couldn't take her eyes of the woman, and neither could the other guests...

"Someting to drink, Miss?" An Elven waitress had appeared next to her.

"Yes", she answered without taking her eyes of the woman.

"A glass of champagne?"

"Yes..."

The singers tone changed, somehow getting even more intimate... but at he same time strange. Liz blinked and suddenly felt sick. Something... was wrong.

Apart from the fact that she had just oredered a glass of chamapgne she could not afford at all...

Blinking again, she moved backwards and forced herself to take her eyes of the woman on stage. The effort to do so was nearly painful, and her heart was racing... and nearly stopped when she met deep green eyes over the audiences' heads.

The elf was coming towards her, his eyes narrowed and his lips pressed together.

She stumbled backwards, than somehow managed to drop a mocking curtsy and quickly went into the direction of the stair. As expected he did not make any sound or shouted something, so she could use her head start. Still she knew that her chances weren't exactly the best - He would probably have figured out how she had entered the building and positioned guards next to the wall she had climbed.

So what now?

The fire alarm box which appeared in the same moment next to her seemed to be a sign of the Maker. Grinning, she reached out for it... and stumbled forward when something hid her hard in the back. Cursing, she found her balance in the very last second and whirled around, ready do charge... .

The elfs hand closed around her neck and lifted her against the handrail. How could he have caught up with her so quickly...?

But there was no time to wonder. She needed to get out of here: Now! Angling her knee, she aimed for the most valuable part of his body, but unfortunately without success. Instead, she was rewarded with a very inelegant growl into her face... and a hand in her chest, closing around her racing heart...

She gasped for air and froze, horror and pain flooding her body. Grapping his wrist, she tried to push him away and could not help herself from panting: "Please... don't do that..." When he didn't react, but simply looked at her out of these cool, green eyes, she added: "Make, haven't I said that you are a freak...?"

It was shock that let her speak the words out loud. Obviously, considering the fact that his WHOLE HAND WAS STUCK IN HER CHEST!

"Fenris!" Am mans' voice, sounding soothing. "I think she got it. Please, could you stop that? The guests will be very irritated when they see this... scene..."

For a moment that felt like hours the elf was not reacting at all, than he slowly let go of her heart. As soon as the pressure disappeared, she panically looked down on her body, but there was neither a scratch in her dress, nor a whole in her chest. Only her racing heart reminded her on what had just happened.

"Get back to work, Hawke", the elf said, taking her upper arm and turning to the man who had appeared at the stairs first step. "I am sure there will be some guests waiting for you to make them a drink..."

"Well, SHE looks like she could use a drink...", a slightly amused voice answered and gave her the time to pick up her courage again.

"Do you think that's funny?" The elfs' voice sounded as if he thought that the whole situation wasn't funny at all.

Dimples appeared in the barkeepers cheeks when he grinned and shrugged. Than his face became serious. "Fenris, what are you going to do now?"

"What do you think I am going to do?" came the abrupt answer. "I will bring her to Danarius of course."

If even possible, the concern in the bar keepers' eyes seemed to deepen further... and suddenly Liz wondered if she had just come out of the frying pan into the fire...


	2. Chapter 2

Liz was nervous although she tried her best to hide the feeling. The reaction of the barkeeper didn't get out of her mind. On the other hand: What had she expected: That she could enter the club without permission and there wouldn't be any consequences if she got caught?

Out of the corner of her eye she looked at the elf who was taking her to his boss. His face betrayed nothing, at least this was what you would think on the first look. On the second she could witness that his lips were pressed together more firmly than before, and he seemed to be tenser as well.

No good sign. This Danarius guy seemed to be someone you better did not mess with.

Fenris brough her to the back area of the club and a room which could be entered via a big wooden door. Next to it a guard was postet and nodded when Fenris appeared. "Sir?"

Sir? Wow, he REALLY had a good position for an elf...

"Announce us to Danarius", Fenris said. "Tell him that we have an intrudor."

The guards' eyes went to her and he nodded, than knocked at the door and entered the room behind quietly once he got permission. The voice that Liz had heard had been old... and powerful.

And scary as hell.

Shaking her head upon the irrational thought, she decided to distract herself and said what she had in mind since the moment that the barkeeper had disappeared behind them. "So, this Danarius seems to freak the hell out of all of you...?"

The elf next to her raised an eyebrow: "You better should be _freaked like hell_, but I am not, no."

"Well, Hawke gave another impression..."

Fenris' face betrayed nothing when he answered: "Hawke tends to... exaggerate."

Before she could answer that this wasn't exactly reassuring, the door opened and they went inside. Her thief's heart nearly stopped and started beating faster when she saw all the antiques standing around, starting by the immense mahagoni desk over some of the books in the bookshelf to the unaffordable picture which was hanging at the wall behind the man who was just getting up.

Liz' excitement disappeared as soon as she met Danarius eyes. Maker, he WAS creepy like hell, with the sly and cold eyes of a snake and the appearance of an emperor who wouldn't think twice to cut your head off. His grey beard was trimmed and his clothes tailor-made.

"Danarius, this woman entered the club without permission", Fenris started.

Instead of looking at her, Danarius watched the elf. "So you failed?"

"Yes." Fenris' answer came immediately and without hesitation.

"I see", Danarius said after a long moment of silence and simply looking at the elf, than he passed the desk and stepped to Liz. "We will talk about your... punishment later", he added without lookig at Fenris anymore.

"Punishment?" The word left her mouth before she could stop herself. "He will be punished? That's bullshit!"

One grey eyebrow raised. "Is that so? Would you mind explaining this thought?"

"He couldn't have prevented me coming into the club, even if he wanted", she said and crossed her arms in front of her chest. "I can climb EVERY wall!"

Danarius smile became wider, and a chill ran down her spine. "Well, he could have crushed you legs... how would you have climbed than...?"

Her eyes widened. Fuck, she really WAS in trouble... This guy definitely wasn't a simple club owner, but probably part of the Hightowner underworld...

"Sir", Fenris interferred. "This woman seems to have a habit of speaking without being asked."

Danarius chuckled, again in an absolutley NOT CHARMING kind of way. "I see. So tell me, Miss: What have been your intentions?"

She frowned. "My intentions?" What a question was this? She obviously had wanted to steal something...

"Yes." Danarius smile turned cold. "Your intentions..."

Honesty seemed to be the best answer. "I wanted to gamble first, but than I decided to concentrate on something a bit more old-fashioned..."

Fenris snorted while Danarius crocked his neck in a way that let another chill ran down her spine. "Gamble?"

"Y... yes..." Suddenly a slightly metallic scent filled the air and she had problems to speak.

"Is that really all?" Danarius voice seemed to be in her head, his eyes so intense that they seemed to be able to look at the bottom of her soul. "Tell me: Is that REALLY all? Or have you maybe been sent by someone else...?"

"What...?" She shook her head erraticely. "No. Who should have sent me? I am here on my own!"

For another long moment Danarius continued looking at her, than the pressure on her shoulders and her mind suddenly disappeared and he made a step backwards. "Gamble", he repeated. "Are you good?"

"I..." Her heart was still beating so fast that she had the feeling she would pass out every moment. Maker, what was happening here? "I... am not bad..."

"You have to be better than being not bad when you dare entering MY club to gamble..."

Forcing herself to smile and hide her fear, she answered: "Well, alright: I am good. I am actually very good..."

He watched her thoughtfully and than looked at Fenris. "She will be working for me until the debt of not handing her over to the police is paid", he said. "And she will be YOUR responsibility. Take her with you... there is enough place in your mansion for the two of you..."

It was the first time that the elf reacted. "Sir, I don't think that's wise..."

Danarius only response consistet of looking at the elf until he nodded abruptly and answered: "I will make sure that she does as she is told."

"Good." Turning to Liz again, he handed her enough money to rent a small flat for one month. Her eyes widened, and her throat became dry. "Buy some clothes. Make sure that you fit in here." Stepping closer, Danarius ended, leaving no doubt on the sincerity of his words: "If you are loyal to me, you will have money and savety. But if you betray me, you will regret having come to this place until the rest of your short life..."

* * *

As soon as the door closed behind Liz, she exhaled in relieve. "What a charming man", she eventually said, turning to Fenris who had been standing motionlessly next to her.

The elf pressed his lips together and grapped her arm, dragging her out of the corridor.

"Hey!" Unsuccessfully she tried to free herself from his grip. "Don't be so rude? What's your probl..."

"YOU!" he growled and whirled around to her. "I swear, I will use the first possibility to get rid of you! Just give me a reason..."

Her eyes narrowed. "Oh, I see. You are not better than he is. His little pet dog as it seems..."

She was pressed against the wall before she could react and stubbornly met his blazing green eyes, refusing to show any fear. "Do you really think that I am so stupid?" she whispered. "It is more than obvious that your... boss likes to break peoples bones. And I prefer to have MINE intact." She did not add what was obvious as well: That strange things happened in this club. The fact that Fenris had put his hand into her chest and that she had reacted TWICE like a doll seemed to proof her worst fears: This was a hideout for mages.

Magic was rare, and it was dangerous. Mages needed to registrate themselves in front of the templar oder, but not all of them did it. Actually there were rumours that within the last years the birth rate of children with magical skills had raised dramatically and more and more parents were hiding them from the cruel and strict education in the templar schools.

Mentioning it did not seem to be wise. She had to make sure that neither Fenris, nor Danarius thought that she was even thinking about it.

"So, this thing you do with your fist...", she said and immediately had the elfs attention, "is it something you got from a military amendment procedure...?"

It was known that the military sometimes improved their soldiers via technology and medicine in quite drastical ways. And even though she had NEVER heard about something like that, she hoped that Fenris would believe that she wasn't thinking at all about the possibility that the club was a hideout of apostate mages...

He nodded, no hesitation in his behavior. "It is. Elves are very... popular within the military..."

That was true indeed. She had once heard a human soldier say that they were the perfect cannon fodder.

Only remembering those words made her angry again. She had grown up in one of the poorest parts of Kirkwall, and Elves had been her neighbours and friends. There was nothing that made them less than any human... but most people unfortunately thought otherwise.

"There is a shop around the corner which has opened all night", Fenris voice brought her back into reality. "We will go there and buy clothes."

"We?"

No reaction on his perfect face. "Yes."

She grinned. "You think that I'll try to run away? And are afraid of your boss's _punishment_...?" There was the slightest flinch on his face when she finished the sentence, and she didn't really consider her joke as funny anymore. She didn't even want to think how a punishement of this man would look like...

"Alright", she said and smiled, pushing the thought far away. "Let's go shopping!" She rushed forward, if only to force him to let go quickly off his obviously bad memories. Somehow she did not like that look on his face. The thought was ridiculous, but she preferred seeing him angry and grumpy instead of haunted...

The shop offered nearly everything, starting from food over clothes to sex articles and condomes. She went into the clothing department and picked up two jeans, sport shoes and some shirts and tops. Simple underwear followed, as well as sleeping clothes.

"You should buy something to fit in", Fenris calm voice said behind her. "And this definitely doesn't." He nodded at the jeans and shirts.

"You won't believe it" she answered with her sweetest smile and went to the evening attires, "but I also have a private life and prefer being casual. You on the other hand probably sleep in this suit..."

"That's ridiculous", was all answer she got. "Of course I don't."

"Well, I might find out soon, now that we'll be roommates..." This hit a nerve. His face immediately became dark, and she snorted. "Oh come on, don't look so grumpy... this will be fun..."

He turned to her, his eyes cold. "Here are the rules: You stay out of my way. And you'll do what I say."

"Keep on dreaming!" was all she answered and took some dresses into the changing room. "But don't be worried: I don't have any desire to get to know you better."

"Good."

"GOOD!" she hissed and changed clothes. Such a stubborn and arrogant prick!

15 minutes later she paid and left the market, followed him back to the club and stayed the rest of the night with Hawke behind the bar. Fenris told him that he would be in real trouble if he allowed her to leave without his permission. Liz did not plan fleeing anytime soon and helped him instead mixing cocktails.

Hawke - whose first name was Jamie - was easy-going, sexy and funny. He had honey-brown eyes, short black hair and always a joke on his lips. The guests laughed with and loved him, so he received tons of tip and she as well.

"Wow", was all she could say and looked at the note in her hand.

He grinned and blinked. "Not bad, mmm?"

"Well, depends", she heard herself answer.

"What do you mean?"

"Considering the fact that we need to work for an asshole to get this money..."

Jamies face became serious. "You don't seem to be the type to hold your breath, Liz, but you really should do so when you work here. Believe me..."

"I know", she answered and gave him a reassuring smile. "Don't be worried: I have no problems in adapting quickly to new situations... and people... even assholes..."

He laughed and squeezed her shoulder, than turned to the next guest, a mature woman who was shamelessly flirting with him.

Liz shook her head and leaned back, letting her eyes run over the guests. So this would be the place she would spent most of her time at within the next months. It looked like a well-attented, noble bar, all the people having fun... but deep below she felt a rotten core and remembered the look on Fenris' face.

And suddenly she wondereed if she would really be able to adapt as easily as she just had promised Hawke...


	3. Chapter 3

It was late after midnight when the club finally closed. Fenris made sure that all guests left and called cabs for those who weren't able to walk or drive on their own anymore, than he checked all security systems, had one last conversation with Danarius and finally came to her. She had helped Hawke tidying up the bar, and now she was tired and exhausted.

The elf had changed into leather clothes and a turtleneck.

"Change", he ordered and handed her new clothes over. "You have 5 minutes."

She frowned, but did as she was told and changed into the jeans and a top in the bathroom. When she came back, Hawke was just about to leave and winced at her. "See you tomorrow, Sweetie?"

She could not help but smile and nodded. "Yes." At least there seemed to be one decent person in this place. Turning to Fenris, she saw him watching Hawke out of narrowed eyes and had suddenly the urge to defend the other man. "He just tries to be nice."

Ignoring her words, Fenris went outside. She followed him into the backyard of the club where he stopped next to a motorbike.

Her eyes widened. She hadn't driven with something like this since... quite some time, and the memory of driving was the best of what was left of the person she had been driving with.

"Come", he ordered, and again she followed his instruction without arguing. Climbing behind him on the motorbike, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held on when he started the machine and drove down the alley next to the club and on the main street of the Red Lantern dictrict.

She felt that he was tense, but he definitely was a good driver. Soon she found herself leaning into him and enjoyed the wind in her hair while he was steering the bike on the highway and accelerated. She couldn't remember any other moment when she had ever felt so free. In this moment, there were no worries, no doubts, only the road and the sound of the motor and the wind in her ears. Fenris and she were a good team: She leaned with him in every curve, trusting his abilty to bring them savely to his home, even though he drove fast.

They left the Highway not as expected nearby the noble quarter of the town, but drove towards one of the human worker quarters. Before entering it, Fenris turned into a side road leading to an old, abandoned building which must have been in earlier times a manor, but now it only seemed fit for demolition. Ivy was covering the walls and stairs and weed sprawled in the garden. Several windows were destroyed and graffiti sprayed at the outside walls.

"You are kidding", she gasped. "Don't tell me that you are living in this hole?"

"I am", he answered and stopped the motorbike. "In case you have a problem with this _hole_, feel free to look for something else."

"But then how would you look after me?", she asked dryly and got off the bike, approaching the main entrance. The door opened with a rusty creak when she pushed against it.

The mansion was immense. Corridors over corridor and rooms over rooms remembered of a time when it had been filled with life. Unfortunately most of them were barely inhabitable anymore. Time and weather had left signs on the old stones, and a chilly wind was blowing through the corridors.

Fenris lived in one room on the first floor. It only contained a bed, a desk and a fireplace plus bench. Nothing more.

For a long moment she simply stood in the doorway and looked at it. There were so many things she could have said, but none of them seemed fitting. All she could think about was how damn lonely life had to be in such a place. But he probably did not want to have it any other way.

"Why this house?" She had to ask.

"Danarius gave it to me", came the answer.

That explained a lot. Not accepting this _gift _would have been unwise. And in some strange and cruel way it was an honor to be able to live in such a place as an elf.

"Have you worked for him all your life?" It wasn't unusual: A lot of elves were born into a household and simply stayed, just like their parents and grandparents had done.

This time she felt his hesitation and curíously turned to him. "No", he eventually said. "Danarius saved me some years ago and gave me a place to live at."

She raised an eyebrow. "He saved you?"

"Enough of that", he answered harshly. "You can have the room next to mine. Meet me tomorrow at two o'clock in the afternoon, than we will drive to the club together. Until than, I do not want to see you. And don't dare leaving this place without my permission."

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "How would you even know?"

"The whole place is equipped with video cameras."

She coughed. "Are you kidding? You have no windows, but CAMERAS? Are you fearing that someone could try to break in? Not to destroy your illusions, but there is nothing you could get from here..."

The door closed in front of her face. Well, obviously the argument was finished.

"Very mature", she said and turned to have a look at her room.

At least its windows were intact. That was sadly the only good thing she could say about it. The bed creaked, and the old dressing tables' mirror was so clouded that she could barely see her face.

"You should have told me that I should buy bed linens as well", she shouted, slamming her luggage to the ground. "And curtains. Oh, and CLEANING POWDERS!"

No reaction. Frustrated, she left the room and went downstairs, looking for the kitchen. Next to it she found a small lumber-room and everything she needed to clean her room.

One hour later she had removed all spiderwebs, a dead rat out of the corner and more than a bit of dust. The mirror was still clouded and she definitely needed to buy linens, but for this night it would work. Changing into her sleeping clothes, she took the toiletries she had bought in the supermarket and went looking for the bathroom. She found it in the cellar, a big area with several basins and showers. Carefully she switched the water on and sighd in relieve when it became hot quickly.

Against all expectations she fell asleep quickly once she was in bed and woke up late in the morning. Yawning, she stretched and got up, leaving her room drowsily... and stopped midway when she realized that Fenris was training in the entrance hall below her. His upper body was naked, and he moved with fluent grace. There were no unnecessary movements, every step was precise and powerful. What he did reminded of material arts, and yet it was different, something she had never seen before. But maybe she was only distracted by the fact that the silver markings he wore on his chin and neck covered his whole body and seemed to shimmer in the sunlight falling into the room.

Shit, he WAS an attractive bastard. She should make sure that she stopped drooling before he recognized her...

"Like what you see?"

Caught, it took her some seconds to get her composure back. Than she shrugged and stepped to the railway of the stair. "Let's put it that way: You are much more enjoyable when you do not talk... or stick your hand in other peoples chests..."

A dark sound could be heard, reminding her of a mixture of a chuckle and a growl. He still wasn''t looking at her, but continued doing his training session.

"I am hungry", she stated when her growling stomach reminded her that she hadn't eaten in hours.

"There is breakfast in the kitchen."

"How sweet", she said while going downstairs. "You bought biscuits for me?"

This time he REALLY chuckled. "You can have what is left. And afterwards you can start making yourself useful and do the dishes..."

* * *

Liz spent her first day as Fenris' room mate with exploring his mansion and ignoring his scowls whenever they met. She had never been good in listening to others advices, so his wish that she stayed out of his way had more or less fallen on deaf ears. Besides: She preferred to know the place she was living in, especially its' escape ways. After all she was a thief and hadn't exactly had the best relationship with authorities in the past.

Unfortunately exploring the mansion did not really distract her from her real concerns, namely the fact that she still had no idea how to get out of her new employment. She didn't believe one second that Danarius would simpy let her go when he could earn money with her skills as gambler. And if she failed he probably would ask Fenris to do his "fist in the chest" trick again, an experience she certainly did not want to repeat.

One way or another, she was in real trouble.

Sighing, she met with Fenris at two o'clock in fron of the mansion. He didn't say anything when they drove down the alley and towards the highway, so she shouted eventually: "How was your day? What have you been doing after training?"

"Making sure you did not get into any trouble", came the dark answer.

"And how did you do that? I have barely seen you... well, apart from the few times I had the honor to witness your scowling face..."

"I told you that I have cameras installed in the whole house."

She froze. "So you STALKED me?"

"Don't be ridiculous", he growled. "Of course I did not stalk you. I only made sure that you did not do something stupid."

"Don't tell me that you have one of those things in my room as well...?"

He sighed annoyed and accelerated instead of answering. Pressing her lips together, she wrapped her arms more firmly around his hips. If he thought that she would forget about this little discussion, he was completely mistaken!

Half an hour later they arrived at the club, parked in the backyard and entered the building. Fenris showed her where she could change into one of her dresses and instructed her afterwards how to behave in front of the guests. She was told how to talk, how to look, and especially how to NOT look and NOT talk...

"You know, I have done this", she eventually hissed when he explained her once again that she should NEVER insult a guest. "I know how to give my opponent the feeling that he is always right and I am only a small, silly wannabe gambler. I won't win too often, I make sure that nobody sees me cheating and I always smile. Been there, have done that before. Alright?" Irritated she realized that the male waiter who had prepared the room for the evening had fallen silent during her rambling and was now staring at Fenris and herself. She raised an eyebrow and looked at him. "What? Have you never seen anybody talk like this to your mighty security boss?"

The waiter - a half elf with white-blond hair and a beautiful young face - averted his eyes and murmured: "I... need to pick something up outside..." Than he was gone and she alone with Fenris.

Sighing, she looked the elf into the eyes. "Don't tell me that I can never-ever critisize anything you say or do when someone else is present!?"

His answer was surprisingly calm. "You can, but you have to live with the consequences if you do so."

"Consequences?" She nearly choked on the word. ""Are you planning on locking me up if I speak my mind?""

There was the smallest hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth, but his answer was serious. "I don't fear your opinion, and I certainly won't forbid you to speak your mind. But what I doubt is that you are wise enough to know what to say and what NOT to say. So we'll see where this will lead." Getting up from the seat next to hers, he finished: "Anyway: Feynriel - the waiter who just left - is still young and has never seen anybody talk like this to me. He... overreacted."

"Well... there is always a first time", she said and grinned.

Her smile faded when she got a glimpse at his expression. "I will tell you this only one more time, Liz: Don't make any problems. Rules in this etablissement are probably different from what you have known so far. I am quite sure you don't want to experience any consequences for something which is in your little world not problematic at all. Just bite your tongue and do your job. Than there won't be any need for... consequences."

Only when he was gone she realized that she had stopped breathing for a moment. Not because of anger - even though this had been her first reaction when he had started talking - but because of anxious agitation. A part of her understood that he had not wanted to teach her a lesson, but had given her one last warning.

_Alright, Liz, _she thought and inhaled deeply. _Just shut up for a while. That isn't so difficult, is it? _But it was, at least for her, and she knew it damn well... _Oh Maker.._.

Fortunately the next days were too busy to get into any trouble. After a long evening of entertaining stupid guests and laughing about bad jokes, she slept long and trained afterwards in the courtyard behind Fenris' mansion to make sure that she did not loose her climbing and fighting skills. Than it was already time to drive to the club and start working again.

It didn't take her long to make herself a picture about her new life and the people who were part of it. Jamie was funny and sexy and the only really friendly person in this place. The waiters were efficient and friendly as well, but it did not appear to be genuine. There was always a hint of fear and dispair surrounding them, especially when Danarius appeard.

Feynriel was the only exception. The young half elf was as kind-hearted as he was beautiful and the favorite of most female - and some male - guests.

The complete opposite to the young waiter was Hadriana, the clubs singer. She was one of the finest examples of a bitch. She had the cruel arrogance of an Orlaisian diva and treated everone else - except of Danarius and the guests - as inferior. Even Orana, her assistant, was treated like a slave.

When it came to Hadriana and her behavior, Liz' vow to bite her tongue had been put on a test more than one time. She had never met anyone who had managed to provoke such an intense disgust in such a short time in her. Not even Danarius gave her this feeling, maybe because he barely spoke to her and also was rarely seen within the club. He only appeared when really important guests were present, otherwise he left it to Fenris to make sure that everything was under control.

The elf acted in his position as security boss with cool efficiency and saw everything. Whenever there was the slightest sign that a guest might have drunken too much or a man became pestering, he took care that he - or she - was driven back home without having a scene. At least he did this in case of wealthy guests. The less wealthy ones found themselves in one of the side streets at the end of the evening.

"Liz!"

"Mmm?"

Fenris stood in front of her. "It's time to go."

"Aye sir", she said, stood to attention and grinned at his scowl. "But I need a coffee first."

He sighed annoyed. "Why am I not sursprised...?"

She shrugged and followed him outside. When she had told him the first time that she needed to have a coffee before and after going to work - and preferably every hour AT work - he had simply ignored her wish; whereupon she had simply left and walked to the little coffee shop nearby the alley to his mansion. It was managed by an Elven woman named Merrill who also exhibited her drawings in it and did not seem to have any problem with the fact that most of her guests were workers who could barely differentiate between a real work of art or an amateurs work. Liz had no idea how the young woman could afford the rent for the shop, but in the end it didn't really matter: She got great coffee in a place which was warm and cozy and could listen to Merrills sweet - and quite naiv - stories about how she had gotten to Kirkwall. To sum it up: The elfs' way of living had not quite fit to what her family had had in mind for her, so she had left.

Fenris had picked Liz up half an hour later after, furious about the fact that she had left without his permission, and dragged her out of the shop - at least he had tried. They had fought - physically and verbally - and only stopped when Merrill had asked them how long they had been married.

Since these unsettling words Fenris brought Liz to Merrills shop without arguments; and she for sure did not complain.

After all you had to be thankful to have such an attentive husband...


End file.
